Kelp Records is an independent, Canadian record label that was founded by Jon Bartlett in Fredericton, New Brunswick in 1994. Jon moved to Toronto in 1997 and spent two years there (working at Exclaim! magazine) before moving to Ottawa. It was at this point that the label really started to grow, building a stable of the Capital's finest singer-songwriters and bands, including Jim Bryson, The Acorn, Andrew Vincent & the Pirates, HILOTRONS, Camp Radio / Chris Page, Flecton Big Sky, The Flaps and Toronto acts The Michael Parks / Andy Swan. Kelp has released 65 albums over the past 16 years, and is distributed by Outside Music in Canada, Carrot Top in the USA, and Rough Trade in the UK.

Since its move to Ottawa in 1999, Kelp has held an annual weekend of shows known as KELP WEEKEND in Ottawa. This series has brought Kelp acts together with old/new musical friends, playing in smaller, more intimate, and sometimes wacky venues around the city. This year is KELP 16, and we are branching out to our neighbours Toronto and Montreal, for the first ever out-of-town Kelp parties. It should be a blast and we hope you can make it out.

For questions, press inquiries or any other details, please contact Jon Bartlett at jon at kelprecords dot com or phone 613-277-7389.

- THE ARTISTS -

EVENT 1

JIM BRYSON returns to the Mayfair Theatre, which has over the past 18 months blossomed into one of the city's favorite musical venues.

The past year has been a busy one for Bryson, playing keys for Canada's rock stevedores THE TRAGICALLY HIP, writing a bucket of new songs, recording at The Hip's studio in Bath, and joining his pals THE WEAKERTHANS to record in a cabin in eastern Manitoba in the -30C temps of early January.

The recordings will be issued later this year on an album tentatively titled THE FALCON LAKE INCIDENT. Believe you me, it's a doozy!

CHRIS PAGE's new album "A Date with a Smoke Machine" was released by Kelp on February 16th, his fourth solo record to add to a portfolio of rock from his current (CAMP RADIO) and former (THE STAND GT) bands. Critics have lauded his new album as his best yet---come find out why!

"It's this sense that Page is deftly walking the fine line between folk and rock that gives A Date With A Smoke Machine its resonance. True power pop fans will not be disappointed." - Exclaim! / "A Date With A Smoke Machine with its mix of folk and rock and punk gets better and better with every listen. 9/10!" - Americana UK

EVENT 2

BILL FOX - This year is a special one, as one of my all-time heroes is coming up from Cleveland for shows in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. For those of you that haven't heard of him, BILL FOX fronted the late 80s power pop outfit THE MICE, who were gone in a flash, but some of you "elder rockers" may remember them coming through in 88. Ten years later, Bill made two well-received albums on a four-track in his apartment and emerged as a critical darling, hailed in a 1998 CMJ cover story as "one of the best songwriters of his generation." In 1999, he mysteriously bowed out yet again, disappearing from music.

With accents and phrasings borrowed from Dylan, the Everly Brothers and Big Star, Fox's pop-tinged folk smudged his influences into something intimate and timeless, finding huge melodies and lyrical flights in small-bore bedroom recordings. Guitar, harmonica, piano, and his own overdubbed harmonies all stitched to this dusky voice that strained with emotion. Over the years, Fox quietly influenced Guided by Voices, Elliott Smith, Superchunk and M. Ward, the latter of whom reached out to have Fox open for him in 2006 in the hopes of celebrating his talents, but to no reply.

Bill has re-emerged in Cleveland pubs over the past year, to the excitement of long-time fans. As far as I can surmise, these will be Bill Fox's first Canadian dates in well over a decade. This will be the show of the year!

ANDREW VINCENT is no stranger to the Toronto music scene, and a veteran of the Kelp roster, having released five albums over the course of the past decade. His recent European tour cemented his reputation as a treasured Canadian songwriter, and a new EP recorded at the House of Miracles is due in short order.

*** - Q Magazine
**** - The characters in Canadian Andrew Vincent's interesting lo-fi fifth album suffer frustration at every turn. Beneath the almost naive instrumentation, there lurks a grim pattern of blight, accentuated by his clean but slightly weary voice. - Irish Times
Vincent writes intelligently with clarity of purpose and melody, and across the breadth of the album proves himself adept at capturing the sensation and minutiae of a situation. It is this preciseness of the record that lends it such warmth. - The Line of Best Fit

LEIF VOLLEBEKK is a good pal, and we are happy to have him along for the ride. His album INLAND was issued by Nevado Records earlier this year, and has been the subject of much critical acclaim, finding influences in singer-songwriter staples such as Dylan. His live show brings a new vibrancy to the songs, speckled with delay pedals, violin loops and his powerful voice.

FLECTON BIG SKY's Miche Jette is back, still riding on the strength of the fantastic LP "The Bright Side of Dying," which came out on LP in late 2008. Collaborating with members of THE ACORN, THE FIFTYMEN, CAMP RADIO, Jette brings his A game: a spontaneous musical ride with loads of laughs along the way.

THE FLAPS have been busy this year lending their instro-mental efforts to live-soundtracking FAUST, and squirreling away to work on the followup to their 2005 debut with Jarrett Bartlett behind the helm. Lots of new tunes will be showcased, no doubt!

ANDY SWAN has continued to add to his impressive song catalogue, now penning gems from the tiny hamlet of Breadalbane, PEI. His most recent collection, Visionettes, proves that the man is still on top of his game. I'm not sure what configuration will come together for this live show, but any Swanny live show is a recipe for good times.

THE SECRET LOVES are one of Ottawa's hottest new bands, bringing together former members of CHICKPEA, THE GLADS and RUN STOP RESTORE. That is a mixed bag, yessiree, and the result is some fuzzed out garagey greatness!

JENNY OMNICHORD is back again this year, with trusty omnichords in hand, and maybe her son Otis too. Jenny's latest album is called "All Our Little Bones," which will soon see pressing as a cross-Canada board game gatefold vinyl LP! Jenny is always a delight and great fun and we're pleased she is making the trip!

As our man Vardy has left us for Newfoundland, the lovely KATE KLEVANIC from Whalesbone Catering will be taking over the BBQ. I'm going to keep the BBQ food element a surprise for now, but people, get ready to fast for this one because it is going to rule. Skip breakfast!!

Come early as tables/seating is limited and this event is always a bit of a zoo. Pay what you can, then support the artists by buying stuff!!

EVENT 4

RHUME is old, almost irrelevant, but it has become a bit of a tradition to at least round up the detritus for an annual show at Kelp. There will be a couple new songs. A "new album" will be done before Jon's second child is born. In the meantime, avail yourselves of tuneage at the Bandcamp site.

Speaking of detritus, the TRES BIEN ENSEMBLE are made of up of the wreckage of one of the beautyest bands of all time WAYNE OMAHA along with their Oxford County pal GREG SMITH of THE WEAKERTHANS. RHUME's first CD release party in January 2000 at the Hi-Fi was played with these very gentlemen, some beauty hosers if I do say so myself. Expect sweet tunes!

CAMP RADIO are nearing completion of their second LP, which somehow CHRIS PAGE, DAVE DRAVES and SCOTT TERRY have found time to do in between their multitude of other musical endeavours. Anyone that saw them tear the roof off of Dom Polski in January knows that this will rule.

THE MICHAEL PARKS are the much-beloved full band project of singer-songwriter ANDY SWAN, a band that hasn't seen much action since Swanny moved to PEI about a year and a half ago. This should be a great night as bassist GREG SMITH will join him, and our old pal SHAYNE COX (aka The Saskatoon Cracker / The Velvet Fog) will man the traps. Severe awesome anticipated.

Advance tickets available Tuesday April 20th at Compact Music (both locations) and Raw Sugar. Please note that this show really will start promptly at 9:30pm, so come early to get your seats!

Also, there will be VERY LIMITED tickets for this show so don't dilly or dally. Raw Sugar is not huge, but four bands and gear is, so we can only sell a limited number. Don't be disappointed, get them early.

EVENT 5

THE WHITE WIRES are one of my favorite new Ottawa bands. They aren't even really that new now, but still new to me, as I hadn't even seen them until last summer at GaGa (see above pic)!

Ian, Luke and Allie epitomize all that is great about rock- 3 people having fun playing music, with sing-along melodies that invade your brain for days to come. Every WHITE WIRES show is a party, and what better way to cap off this year's KELP weekend than to have them play.

The best part is, I can't tell you where the show is going to be. The show is going to be at 1am in the morning!! This will be one of the most memorable 613 parties of all time. And best of all it's free!